


the greatest victory

by clayisforgirls



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-09 00:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4327554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clayisforgirls/pseuds/clayisforgirls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And that he was in it to win, and as much as he loves Roger, when they're standing on opposite sides of the net, there's nothing that he won't do.</p><p> </p><p>Originally posted in July 2005. And now I feel old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the greatest victory

It's 2008 before someone who isn't Roger Federer wins Wimbledon.

The two players in the final are no surprises to anyone – after all, a final at Wimbledon without Andy Roddick and Roger Federer has not happened since 2003. The match is the one of the longest either one of the two players has ever played, five sets, all previous sets went to tie breaks apart from the second, currently clocking in at five hours and three minutes.

This year there had been no rain in the final, not like the other years, and it's helped Andy out. His boundless energy helps him with the long matches, whereas he knows that Roger is beginning to tire. At 24 games all in the final set, he breaks serve. He knows all he has to do is keep his serve, and he's won, but he tries not to think about it too much.

Andy's hand shakes as he serves for the Championship, never being in this position before, and he is almost sure that he probably won't be in it ever again. He bounces the ball, once, twice, and then tosses it for his serve. He swears under his breath as he sees the ball go wide.

His second serve is not as powerful as his first (but then, people have told him he's the best server in the game right now), but it does the job, and Rogers's return goes wide. Andy's stunned for a moment, dropping his racket, hearing the cheers around him; the only thing running through his head is that he's won. He finally beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

And then he's bouncing around the court, leaping over the net to give Roger a hug and barring no emotion at this point, he kisses him on the lips too, a manic grin on his face, and after shaking the umpire's hand, he sinks in his chair, still not quite believing it. Before getting up again he wipes his face with his shirt and fiddles with his cap and the band around his wrist.

The trophies are brought out and he stands alongside Roger, offering him condolences, but Roger just smiles through the sorrow saying that it was his turn, and he's happy for Andy, hand on his back all the while.

When they announce the runner-up, Andy almost goes to claim the trophy but realises just in time that this year, he didn't lose. Roger holds it proudly, trying to not look too sad for his photos. As they announce Andy as the winner of the trophy, he's still a little shocked, and the cheers rise in volume. He grins as he is handed the trophy, still bouncing a little, not able to keep still.

They pose for photos, Andy wondering the whole time why the Wimbledon trophy has a pineapple on top, and wondering if he would look silly if he asked someone, Roger trying to smile alongside him. Soon, he's left alone, posing for more photos and he's led round Center Court, stopping in the corners for even more. When he gets back to the net, he kisses the trophy.

Sue Barker is now talking to Roger, and he knows that it will be his turn soon. For once, he's able to wait patiently, looking the trophy over. Andy knows that he will never complete a grand slam, but winning Wimbledon this once is good enough for him. Though he still wonders why there is a pineapple on the top of it.

Roger steps to the side, and he goes over to Sue, still clutching the trophy. He's not sure he's ready for this, but he's not sure he ever will be, because he honestly had never expected to win here against Roger, of all people.

She starts by congratulating him, and in true Andy Roddick form, he jokes and the crowd laugh. He's still stunned that he actually won, and he's sure it's showing; just a little shell shocked in his answers, not really processing what he's being asked. That is, until Sue asks him how he thinks he overcame Roger, how he got past his near perfect game. He knows he could lie, but he decides to be honest, because Andy is nothing if not honest.

So he stumbles over an answer, how he's been practising with Roger for over a year now, how he's learnt to read the Federer serve, and most of all, because he knows Roger better than anyone else on the tour, and he knows the slight weaknesses he has in the game. And that he was in it to win, and as much as he loves Roger, when they're standing on opposite sides of the net, there's nothing that he won't do.

Andy is sure Roger is embarrassed by now, because Roger gets embarrassed so much quicker than he does, so he stops talking and finishes the interview, smiling all the time. He's taken back to pose for a few more photos for the crowd, and manages to drag Roger into them too.

At that moment, there is nothing that Andy wants to do more than comfort Roger, but he's holding the trophy and so instead, he just kisses him on the cheek, lips lingering a little too long, something which can't be blamed on happiness or on friendship, but it based purely on love. He knows it will be all over the papers tomorrow, but he can't bring himself to care.

After the photos have finished, they're led back inside, Roger in front, Andy behind. As he enters the building he sees his name on the wall underneath five years of ‘R. Federer' and he stops and stares at it, still not quiet believing. A moment later, the trophy is taken from him and locked back inside the cabinet and he moves on to looking at that, now alone. He is sure he should be changing and getting ready for the press conference, but right now, he doesn't care.

The members' locker room is marble and gold, and though he's been there before he's only been in there to see Roger before his matches, never to change or shower. This time he can hear the shower running, and strips off, leaving his dirty whites in a trail on the floor. He steps in behind Roger and puts his arms around his waist, head on his shoulder.

They kiss slowly, each just enjoying being with each other before they're faced with the press. Afterwards, Roger dresses and Andy slips on one of the robes provided and heads back to the old locker room to change into something comfortable for the press, smiling all the while.

It seems a long time as he waits, just sitting outside the door, and he can hear Roger answering questions, but can't make out what he's saying. He shuts his eyes, hoping to get a nap before he has to go in there, but a couple of minutes later he looks up to see Roger standing in front of him, and he knows it's time.

The interview seems even longer than usual, and he answers questions which his brain can actually form answers to now. It's still surreal, but it's beginning to sink in a little more. When asked about him and Roger, Andy just smiles and tells them that it's none of their business, and that he's not willing to discuss his private life with the media, not unless Roger is here too.

Realistically, Andy is a little scared of what their reactions might be if he actually told them outright instead of sidestepping.

Eventually it's over and Roger is waiting outside for him, and after making sure no one is around he kisses the other man softly, asking if he's okay. Roger nods slowly and they leave together, more than ready to get back to the rented apartment down the road.

Andy refuses to decline signing an autograph for anyone, and so it seemingly takes forever to actually leave the grounds, stopping every few metres for another autograph signing, and Roger joins him, because he knows they won't get anywhere faster anyway. They make it to the gates, finding a whole group of reporters there. They share a look, and know they have to face facts.

Roger is the one who tells them in broken English, pausing occasionally to find the right word which is when Andy fills in for him. He is quiet for once, not really knowing what to say or how to explain to these people that they're in love, and just because they're famous it doesn't mean that their life should be speculated about. He knows that Roger can word things better than he ever can, even though English is Andy's native language he still has trouble with it sometimes.

He gets bored fast, and wants to leave, and he takes hold of Roger's wrist and barges through the reporters to get to the car which is waiting for them. Alone at last, Andy lays his head in Roger's lap and he soon feels Roger's reassuring touch, a hand stroking his head, fingers running through the short hair.

Mardy goes to the Championship dinner with him as his ‘plus one', and they spend the evening laughing and drinking and sometimes dancing, with each other and with other people. Though Andy loves Mardy, he wishes that he was there with Roger. They sneak out before it's over, Mardy on the tipsy side of drunk and Andy completely plastered.

He sleeps soundly that night, his body pressed against Roger's, and wakes the next afternoon alone and with a hangover. Someone, probably Mardy, has left a newspaper at the foot of the bed. Squinting, he glances at the front page.

There is a picture of him holding the trophy, but underneath it is one of him kissing Roger on the cheek. He doesn't bother to read the headline, and tosses the newspaper aside, not caring what the media have to say about it just yet.

He picks up the water and the aspirin on the side table, and takes the tablets, hoping that they'll make the pounding headache go away. In fact, he wishes it would all go away – Andy didn't date famous people after Mandy for a reason – he hated the publicity it brought. And yet here he was again, in the middle of the greatest tennis scandal of all time, as he's almost certain that the media have labelled it that.

He sighs and puts the pillow over his face, wanting to sleep a little longer. He does for a while until Roger sits on the edge of the bed and shakes him lightly. Andy is more awake this time than the first time he woke, and he slides a hand around the back of Roger's neck and kisses him. Roger tells him that the media are camped outside, waiting for the first glance of either of them, and Andy says that for once he doesn't care what they think, not as long as they have each other.

Roger whispers something in German to him that he doesn't totally understand, but he understands the meaning. He knows that as long as they're together, they'll be okay.

After all, the Federer/Roddick force is something to be reckoned with, both on court and off.


End file.
